Fanatic
by Jelly Beans Galore
Summary: Amy doesn't normally listen to that kind of music. Then again, she isn't normally obsessed with singers either.


**I was sitting around listening to a Taylor Swift CD when "Superstar" came on. I laughed as I thought about how funny it would be for Amy to act like that. Thus, this!**

My name is Amy. I'm one of those girls that you see at school and think, "She's so smart. She's a genius. I bet she'll be a doctor or something because she's so serious. She probably studies all the time." To be honest, I do fit that description. Well, I used to. And I still almost do. I just don't study all the time anymore.

It started when my friend Mina dragged me to a new music shop because her favorite band, the Three Lights, just released a new album. I liked the Three Lights too, but not enough to buy their music. I really only listened to music like that when I was with my friends. At home, I needed calming music to study. Musicians like the Three Lights distracted me.

So I waited by the door for her to find the CD and pay. It took longer than I expected, so I started to wander in. I spotted one of the sample headphones and put them on. I pressed each button to see what music would play. I finally tried the "Top 25". I listened for a few minutes. I knew some of the songs, but not all of them. There were two by the Three Lights, I noted. Mina would be happy to know that. The fifth song started. I froze. I loved this singer's voice. I had never heard of him before. He had to be new, or else one of my friends would have told me. Serena listens to the radio constantly, so I can't imagine a popular artist would escape her notice, and if he was in her notice, she would have mentioned him once or twice by now. Serena never stopped talking.

Still, I really did like this song. I looked down to check the name.

"Zane Reynolds—Maybe," I whispered. The headphones were snatched off my head. My ears were pulled with them, making me squeal. I reached up to rub them. Then I fixed the strands of hair also mussed up by the action. I turned around to see Mina. She put the headphones on to see what I'd been enthralled with. Mina removed them within thirty seconds and straightened her big bow.

"He's good! But that's the first song I've heard by him," Mina said. She lifted the CD in her hands up and waved it in my face. "But look: I found it!"

I rolled my eyes. It was just like Mina to completely disregard my pain. "Mina, that hurt!"

She paused. "It did? Sorry. Hey, how about I see if he has a CD out yet, and if he does, I'll buy it for you! I mean, I've never seen you really listen to good music before, so I have to help in any way I can!"

I didn't really want a CD, but there wasn't anything I could do to dissuade my blonde friend. I wound up with that little bag in my hand as we left the store. I had intended to leave it still in its packaging so if Mina found it, I could say I forgot about it, and if anyone else did and happened to like him, I'd give it to them.

That night, while I was halfway through my math homework, I began humming "Maybe". The song was stuck in my head . . . . I looked guiltily over at the CD. I really wanted to listen to it again. I decided that it wasn't a big deal if I listened to it once. I opened my CD player and put the disc in. Checking the box, I determined the number and turned it on. At first, I was actually working on my homework. But then the next song came on and I got a little bit distracted. I ended up falling asleep on the table while I listened to the CD. My homework was only three quarters finished, and I'd stayed up so late listening, that I almost missed my bus. I had no time to do it.

I couldn't believe myself.

* * *

"_You_ forgot to do your homework?" Serena asked. "Really? I actually remembered mine! This is going to be something to tell Raye." She waved the wrinkled paper to prove her point. I tried to laugh, but I couldn't. Serena could be such a good student if she didn't procrastinate on _everything_, but if even she did her homework on time, what did that say about me?

One of her long pigtails fell off of her desk as she laid down to meet my eyes. "Do you want to copy mine?"

"That's cheating!" I hissed.

Serena looked a little guilty, but she got over it quickly.

"So?" shrugged Lita. "No biggie. Besides, you're mostly done. At least, you'll get a C."

I paled. "A _C_? My mom's going to kill me for that!"

"Tough mom," remarked Mina. Both Serena and I leaped. We were sure that she had been asleep. It was unlike Mina to be awake for any class. "So, why did you forget your homework, Ames? Were you listening to that CD I bought you? Is it good? If it is, I'll have to borrow it sometime!"

"Who's the artist?" Serena stealthily slipped her math book onto my desk. I hid it under the table and scribbled what I could down.

Mina perked up. "Zane Reynolds. The guy who sings 'Maybe'. You know, 'Maybe, one day, we'll be together. I can wait something, something, or other!'" Mina's off-key voice brought a few of our classmates' eyes to us. I blushed and looked away.

"Those aren't the real lyrics, are they?" a skeptical Lita wondered.

"No," I replied. "It's 'Maybe, one day, we'll be together. You know, for you, I can wait forever.'"

"So you have been listening!"

"It's a good song," I defended. I stood up before they could answer. I had to turn in my homework before the teacher noticed that I hadn't yet. I couldn't bear to have any more attention drawn to me, and I'd already get enough grief about this assignment at home. I didn't need it at school too.

The whole day, my hand was itching to grab the CD in my pocket.

* * *

As soon as I got home, I tossed my homework aside. I had sloppily completed it in on the bus ride just so I wouldn't forget. I popped the CD in my computer to look at the bonus content. I was so excited: there were acoustic versions, inside secrets, and a few music videos! It was everything I could ever dream of. Zane's picture popped up on the screen. I felt my face heat up. It occurred to me that I liked this man.

It made no sense! I'm a logical girl. Liking a singer I knew literally nothing about was a bad idea. He was also probably years older than me, and I was only seventeen.

I bit my lip. If I didn't know about him, I would just have to research him. It would work out either way. If I still liked him, it wouldn't be just for his voice and looks, and if I didn't, well . . . I didn't. Although, I was secretly hoping that I would find something to deter my affections. If I had to like someone, I wanted it to be someone attainable—and my own age.

Not finding a suitable website, I clicked on Wikipedia.

**Birth name** Zane Isaac Reynolds

**Born** January 7th (age 20)

**Genres** Pop

**Instruments** Guitar

**Years active** Present

I couldn't keep myself from groaning. He was only three years older than me. That's the same difference between Serena and Darien, and I had openly admitted to my friends that it wasn't big. I decided to move on to the actual article. It was nothing that hadn't already been stated. I hadn't learned anything new. I figured that I'd just have to wait a little longer. That would be fine.

"Hey!" Serena cried. "Your mom let me in! Look! I got a new magazine. It's even got a best friend quiz. Wanna take it together?"

I quickly closed out the webpage and sat on the floor with my friend. Serena flipped around to find the right page.

She mumbled, "No, no, no, no, oh—" I didn't like the look in her eyes. "Look, it's a section on Zane Reynolds. Wait a minute, okay? I want to read it."

I knew she didn't. Serena was just teasing me. She was the only one who only liked the Three Lights for the music; in fact, she even turned down going to a concert with us, claiming that she didn't like live music. I didn't blame her. Serena had no reason to be attracted to any other male with the way she and Darien clung to each other. Normally I would say that high school sweethearts don't work out, but you can't even think that when you see those two.

I was initially fine with waiting for Serena to get finished "reading" the article, but eventually, I grew bored. I started to read over her shoulder.

_Zane told us that he has a story for everything: even how he got into music. "[My friends] were always joking about how I could end up being a scientist or something. Then one of them would start on about me being a hairdresser or some other gay job. One day, Jason had the idea that I would be a great singer in a boy band. And I guess that's what got me started."_

_We thank you, Jason! We all love this wonderful guy!_

"_I like interesting girls," remarked Zane. "I mean, she has to stand out in some way, but still be herself. I guess I want there to be something memorable about her. But, honestly, I tend to go for short hair. And blue eyes. Blue is my favorite color."_

_Zane's former flames are very interesting indeed. Who could forget our favorite country girl at Zane's last concert with her new gravity-defying hair?_

I looked down at Serena, whom was idly holding the magazine for me. She grinned. "Do you want to go get your hair cut?"

"Yes," I said cautiously, "and I want to dye my hair blue."

* * *

It went on like that for the rest of my senior year. My locker slowly filled up with posters and stickers. I'd take stupid quizzes to see if I was right for him. My friends would tease me for my obsession any chance they got. I would always reply that I blamed Mina.

"Be nice," warned the blamee, "because guess what I got?"

I rubbed the condensation on my soda glass as I looked at her curiously. Serena set her milkshake down.

Mina stood up on the seat, ignoring Andrew's chastising. "Five tickets to see him! By the way, you all owe me sixty bucks."

"I don't have that money, Mina! I don't even want to go," whined our meatball-headed friend.

Lita shook her head. "No way—not for that money. I have rent!"

I grinned. Tickets to see Zane. I'd get to see him in person and maybe even meet him! This had to be the best day of my life! I could hear songs that weren't on an album yet; I'd get to hear him speak!

"Give me," I said. I looked back at the others, pleading. "I'll even pay for all of you. Just come with me. I don't want to go alone! Pretty, pretty please!"

"Woah, Amy. I was joking. Not about the tickets!" added Mina hurriedly when she saw my face. "About paying. My dad is an agent, you know—so he asked around and got these tickets on discount. Five for one—so it's no big deal. Just consider this the birthday present that I meant to give you."

Raye snorted. "Her birthday is in September."

"Yeah. And I never got her a present."

I gingerly acknowledged that she hadn't for the past two years. Mina blushed. She brushed it aside and continued to explain what would happen. The concert was on July 27th. Mina's mom would drive us there and back, but we had to be outside no later than midnight for her to pick us up. Mina warned us that her mom was serious.

"And you said I had a tough mom," I said.

She stuck her tongue out. "Also, they will be selling stuff like t-shirts so bring your money. _And_, if we're lucky, he'll set up a table for a meet-and-greet, so, _Amy_!"

I sniffed. "Why are you so mean to me?"

* * *

The music was loud. I could hardly hear his voice; the fans were drowning him out. But I was three rows back and I could see his face. I had never had a better day. I maneuvered around the thrashing limbs of the people in front of us and Lita between us to whisper (well, yell, but it sounded like a whisper) to Mina:

"Mina Aino, I love you!"

She laughed. "So this makes up for not getting you a present—both years?" she asked hopefully.

"No," I said.

"Alright, everybody!" It said something when even the singer had to yell to be heard. The crowd cheered and hollered. I thought it was strange. I loved Zane and everything, but all he was doing was talking. "This is going to be our last song and then it's over!"

A chorus of "Boo!" began.

Zane leaned a little too far forward. Feedback flew through the speakers. Serena and I winced. "Sorry. Uh, well, I hope to see you all next time! Up now is 'Maybe'!"

"Your song," sang Lita. I debated between punching her and pretending I hadn't heard. I considered that it was _Lita_ I was talking about. Punching was not an option, unless I wanted teasing about that too. I closed my eyes and tried to pick up on his voice. I could hardly hear it, but it was there. Before I knew it, the song was over and so was the concert. My friends and I stretched our legs. Raye checked her phone impatiently. She reported the time, but I couldn't hear her. Serena yawned as she sent another text to Darien. She was probably telling him good night and that she loved him. I couldn't believe he was still awake. It was probably just for her.

Mina said something.

"What?" I shouted.

In turn, she replied, "We have to hurry! Come on! The table is over there!"

We shuffled our way through the crowd in attempt to reach the table. We nestled into a spot in line. Thankfully, these people were much quieter. Those of us going to buy a shirt took out our money.

Raye glanced at Serena. "You're not buying anything?"

She curled up into her jacket. "Nah. I don't want to."

"That's your excuse?" wondered Raye. "I mean, you have much better ones."

"Like what?" Serena asked sleepily.

"Like . . . Darien wouldn't want another guy's face on your chest," chimed Mina. She giggled. "That sounded wrong! . . . Especially considering that I heard from Kyle that Darien hasn't even done that. Oh, ever the innocent one."

We all rolled our eyes. It's a wonder that their not sore from being around Mina. Lita pushed her softly. "Like you didn't bring money. Because, really, Rena, do you bring money _anywhere_?"

"Darien usually pays."

I checked to see how many people were in front of us. Only five or six. I caught a glimpse of his face. I scooted back.

"Amy? What's wrong?" pronounced Raye slowly.

"I-I don't think I can go up there."

They all huffed.

"Are you kidding me? This is like the biggest reason to come to a concert! How many other times do you get to meet a famous guy and get his autograph? Don't you want that?" demanded Mina.

I looked down. "Well, yeah. But I just . . . don't want to . . . . I don't want him to think of me as another . . . I . . . ."

Lita was fed up. She grabbed my money and stormed up the table I hadn't noticed was open. Mina followed her. The rest of us stepped out of the way.

We watched as they spoke. Lita smiled cheerfully, bought a t-shirt, and chatted for a moment. She pointed over to me. Zane caught my eye and smiled. I slunk back behind an unhappy Raye. He handed the t-shirt back to Lita and signed Mina's. Another group of fans blocked my vision. Serena wondered why they hadn't come back yet.

"It shouldn't take this long!" she complained.

Lita emerged from the crowd and tossed the shirt at me.

"You'll never guess what!" She didn't wait for any of us to answer. "Okay, you remember Nolan's friend Jason? Apparently those three—meaning Zane too—used to be friends throughout high school, and sometimes they still talk. He said Nolan told him about me."

The recently returned Mina raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh. So your _just friend_ told a man he hasn't been particularly close with for a while about you in enough detail that he recognized you out of all the other curly-haired brunettes with green eyes?"

Lita was too flummoxed to answer. She continued on with her story. "Well, he said that he's planning to visit them soon and we may see him around. Oh, and he wanted me to tell Amy that . . . 'Blue hair is very interesting. Especially on a shy girl.'"

I couldn't help but grin.

**I think this is the only story I've ever written where the main characters don't have any real direct contact with each other. I considered having them meet, but that wouldn't be something I'd enjoy writing. **


End file.
